The Union Jack isn’t the only flag sparking political heat in Westminster. Middlesex Day, which honours the bravery of British troops at the Battle of Albuhera against Napoleon, has become the latest flashpoint in the ongoing culture clash between tradition and modern symbolism.
Tory MP Richard Holden isn’t mincing words about Labour’s refusal to fly the Middlesex County flag over Downing Street this year. Speaking on GB News, the Shadow Paymaster General accused the Government of “hating anything traditional about Britain” and claimed that Sir Keir Starmer’s administration is more interested in flying “woke” flags than celebrating the country’s historical roots.
“Under the last Conservative Government, we proudly flew county flags like Middlesex’s on their special days,” Holden told GB News host Martin Daubney. “It’s a nod to our Anglo-Saxon heritage. These flags matter — they connect us to our history.”
Holden was clearly fuming, suggesting that Labour’s priorities are skewed. “It saddens me that Labour are happy to fly whatever woke flag comes off the production line, but when it comes to our traditional county flags, they’re just not interested,” he said.
When Daubney cheekily asked if Labour might be skipping the flag to avoid offending the French, Holden didn’t rule it out. He quipped that with Starmer’s eagerness to please Europe, “I’m almost surprised they’ve not tried to change the name of Waterloo Station.”
It’s not just about flags for Holden — he sees it as part of a bigger issue with Labour’s attitude towards British heritage. “Their instinct isn’t to defend our culture, to defend our traditions – it’s to attack them,” he claimed, even taking a swipe at Foreign Secretary David Lammy for allegedly flying a “random bisexual flag” over the Foreign Office, which Holden said could land the Government with a council fine.
He called on Labour to reverse the decision before the end of the day. “It was something Boris really led on when he was in No10 — bringing back county flags and giving people a reason to celebrate where they’re from. They’ve still got till tomorrow. It’d be nice to see No10 make a sensible U-turn.”
Downing Street, for its part, defended the decision, telling The Telegraph that Starmer is indeed committed to heritage, pointing out he was the first PM to host a St George’s Day reception at No10.
But for Holden and many others, it’s not just about hosting parties — it’s about the symbols that fly over our heads. And today, on Middlesex Day, that flag is noticeably missing.
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